Dr. Oz Sued Over Bad Sleep Tip

Dr. Oz was sued this week for giving a bad sleep tip on his show.

Frank Dietl, 76, filed a lawsuit against the TV host this week in Manhattan Supreme Court. Dietl said that he was badly burned after he wore rice-filled socks to help him sleep.

Dr. Oz recommended a cure for insomnia on his show on April 17, 2012. Oz said that filling a pair of socks with uncooked rice, heating it up in the microwave, and then wearing the socks for about 20 minutes could help people sleep better.

Dietl tried the insomnia solution, but he didn’t end up with a comfortable sleep. No, he ended up with third degree burns and was confined to his bed for weeks.

Dietl’s attorney, Dominic Gullo, told the NY Daily News: “He wound up with third-degree burns on his feet and was confined to his bed for weeks.”

According to the NY Post, Dietl suffers from neuropathy and has a “diminished sensation in his feet.” The lawsuit claims that Dr. Oz should be held responsible for Dietl’s third degree burns because the TV host never issued a disclaimer saying that the sleep tip could be dangerous to people with neuropathy.

Dietl said: “What upset me was that Oz should have had a disclaimer for people with neuropathy.”

ABC notes that Oz did warn viewers to not let the socks “get too hot.”

Show spokesman Tim Sullivan didn’t comment directly on the lawsuit, but he did say that he stands behind the content of the show.

Sullivan said: “We stand by the content in our program as safe and educational for our viewers.”

Dr. Oz gave his sleep tip during an episode called “Dr. Oz’s 24-Hour Energy Boost.” During the segment, Oz explained how his hot sock method worked.

Oz said: “You do this and lie for about 20 minutes with those socks on in bed. The heat will divert blood to your feet. When your feet get hot, guess what happens to your body? It gets cold. Your body will automatically adjust its core temperature and as it gets cooler, you’re going to be able to sleep better because your body has to be cold in order to get sleepy.”

A video of the segment isn’t currently available, but here’s a clip of Dr. Oz talking about some other sleeping tips. Of course, you may want to take some advice from Frank Dietl and use these tips with caution.

Do you think The Dr. OzShow should have issued a warning to people with neuropathy? Should Dietl have been more cautious about putting something hot on his desensitized feet?

[Image Via lev radin / Shutterstock.com]